Samsung Galaxy S9: What We Know So Far

The Samsung Galaxy S9 will undoubtedly be one of the most significant smartphone releases of 2018. And with the mobile imminent, here ValueWalk looks at all the latest news and everything we know about this premium device.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Release Date

The unveiling of the Galaxy S9 will probably take place at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, despite suggestions that it could occur earlier than usual. Some reports have asserted that the device will instead make its first appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, meaning an earlier January unveiling is possible.

However, it now seems likely that Samsung will stick to previous policy, which means we will get our first glimpse of the Galaxy S9 at the Mobile World Congress, beginning this year on February 26.

Curved display

Considering the success of the curved display for Samsung, it is highly likely that the Galaxy S9 will once more be based on curved screen technology. It seems that the Korean corporation has abandoned any attachment to flat screen panels, meaning that all Galaxy releases should be curved screens from hereon in.

Dual-cameras

Another major rumor regarding the Samsung Galaxy S9 is that the smartphone will feature a dual-camera. This would be the first time that the flagship Galaxy S range has embraced this technology since Samsung first debuted the innovation with the Galaxy Note 8.

With increasing emphasis being placed on the photographic capabilities of smartphones, it is considered essential for the Galaxy S9 to deliver this technology. Certainly the lack of a dual-lens unit was a black mark against the recently released Google Pixel 2.

Embedded scanner

Samsung has also been working diligently on the possibility of embedding a fingerprint scanner underneath the display of the Galaxy S9. This is something that other corporations would also like to deliver in the foreseeable future, with Apple having hoped to include this innovation in the recent iPhone X, before ultimately pulling the plug due to logistical issues.

Whether it will be possible for the Galaxy S9 to embrace this technology remains to be seen, but it is known that Samsung has filed patents related to embedded fingerprint tech.

Face ID equivalent

Reports have also suggested that Samsung will unveil a response to the Face ID system that Apple debuted earlier this year. The security system which relies on augmented reality technology has been warmly received by Apple fans, and Samsung could deliver a similar system in the Galaxy S9.

However, there has been a lack of explicit detail related to this suggestion, meaning that it is ultimately unlikely that the Korean company will provide this feature this time round.

Weibo leak

Interestingly, a user of the Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo may already have leaked the Samsung Galaxy S9. An image posted on Weibo seemingly contains the rear of an unreleased Samsung device, with many believing that this will ultimately turn out to be the Galaxy S9.

This picture suggests that the Galaxy S9 will have a single-lens camera, with a relocated fingerprint sensor also noticeable. However, the authenticity of this image is absolutely unconfirmed, and thus it cannot really be considered a solid piece of evidence.

4K display

One of the big areas of debate and speculation in the smartphone niche in 2018 will be the introduction of 4K resolution technology. This has been expected from the biggest players in the smartphone niche for some time, and it could finally begin to come to fruition next year.

Samsung has lead the way with screen technology for some years, particularly since it became the biggest seller of television sets in the world back in 2018. So the onus is very much on the Korean corporation to deliver 4K resolution in one of its 2018 releases.

However, it is probably more likely that the Galaxy Note 9 will benefit from 4K rather than the Galaxy S9, as Samsung has tended to test out its big innovations and new features in its phablet series.

Screen size

Elsewhere, it is believed that both the Galaxy S9 and and Galaxy S9 Plus will probably benefit from a screen increased in size compared to previous releases. In particular, the S9 Plus has been linked with a massive 6.5-inch display. This could be the only major design difference from the Galaxy S8 generation, as it is generally believed that Samsung will hold back on major design changes in the forthcoming releases.

Production begins

The latest reports from close to the Samsung supply chain suggest that the mega-corporation has already begun production of the Galaxy S9. This perhaps suggests that the Consumer Electronics Show unveiling could happen after all, and some publications indeed continue to report this possibility.

However, Samsung itself has already come out and poured scorn on this suggestion, meaning that it is far more likely that the Galaxy S9 will appear at the Mobile world Congress. But with a shortage of OLED technology seemingly impacting on the smartphone marketplace in 2018, Samsung has clearly begun production of the Galaxy S9 ahead of schedule.

Processor exclusivity

The Samsung Galaxy S9 will benefit from a new Snapdragon 845 processor, with reports from East Asia indicating that the consumer electronics giant has signed an exclusivity deal with Qualcomm. This will see the Snapdragon 845 excluded from all major mobile releases for a few months, providing the Galaxy S9 with a significant advantage over its competitors.

It is known that the 845 will be an octa-core Kryo 385 CPU with four 2.8GHz high-power cores and four 1.8GHz low power cores. This will pretty much guarantee that the Samsung Galaxy S9 is the most powerful smartphone yet to hit the stores when it is released.

Battery life

The Snapdragon 845 will also contribute to an improved battery life for the smartphone, with the powerful processor also operating at 30 percent superior efficiency. With software innovations also contributing to the lifecycle of the Galaxy S9, it is suggested that the Samsung smartphone could have 50 percent longer lifecycle on a single charge compared to its predecessor.

Universal Flash Storage

Samsung has also announced the commencement of production for 512GB embedded Universal Flash Storage. This would certainly be a major innovation, described by Samsung as a “world’s first”. This chip would deliver sequential read speeds of 860 MB/s and sequential writes of 255 MB/s, massively improving the performance of the Samsung Galaxy S9.

Colors

Meanwhile, the Samsung blogging community has already claimed that the Galaxy S9 will be made available in four distinct colors when it hits the stores. Black, gold, blue and purple variants will be made available for consumers, although it was suggested that the Galaxy S8 would salso launch with a purple option; a color that was ultimately conspicuous by its absence.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Price

Finally, Samsung has kept very quiet on the pricing of the Galaxy S9, with this being something of a sensitive issue. There is no doubt that the $999 price tag of the iPhone X and the $949 recommended retail price of the Galaxy note 8 were eye-watering figures.

The Korean company will undoubtedly hope to avoid any controversy in this department, but still expect the price of the Samsung Galaxy S9 to touch $900.

Author: Christopher MorrisChristopher Morris is a passionate player of video games since the days of Space Invaders, and is extensively published on the subjects of Business, Technology and Politics. Chris also contributes to Yahoo.